“How many people from Ontario play in the National Hockey League? Once we make it safe, they’re coming home. Mark my words, they’ll be coming.”~ Mike Bacock, in an open letter to Steven StamkosDrew Doughty John Tavares

To recap, Mitch Marner is going to be a damn good player in this league for a very long time. It couldn’t hurt him to add some size and get bigger as he ages. Regardless, he has already shown in the early stage of his NHL career that he does not lack the skills and hockey IQ needed to compete at this high of a level.

My personal guess — he’ll be the next Nicklas Backstrom. Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, overshadowed by Auston Matthews, but still a remarkable and fantastic player. Backstrom is both of those things, and can be overshadowed by Alex Ovechkin.

I think that for casual NHL fans, and specifically those outside of Toronto that don't watch him night-in and night-out, Marner is going to be really underrated for many, many years.

To recap, Mitch Marner is going to be a damn good player in this league for a very long time. It couldn’t hurt him to add some size and get bigger as he ages. Regardless, he has already shown in the early stage of his NHL career that he does not lack the skills and hockey IQ needed to compete at this high of a level.

My personal guess — he’ll be the next Nicklas Backstrom. Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, overshadowed by Auston Matthews, but still a remarkable and fantastic player. Backstrom is both of those things, and can be overshadowed by Alex Ovechkin.

I think that for casual NHL fans, and specifically those outside of Toronto that don't watch him night-in and night-out, Marner is going to be really underrated for many, many years.